Municipality of South Bruce and the NWMO sign updated Multi-Year Funding Agreement

For Immediate Release
February 9th, 2022

SOUTH BRUCE, ON – The updated funding agreement between the Municipality of South Bruce and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) was signed at a Council meeting on February 8^th.

The Multi-Year Funding Agreement provides the Municipality with funds as a potential host community in the site selection process for the NWMO’s Project to store Canada’s used nuclear fuel in a deep geological repository. It is updated annually to reflect the budget for the year ahead. The Agreement was also amended to allow unused funding from previous years to be carried forward upon request to the NWMO.

The agreement includes funding for core activities, such as administration, staffing, studies and peer reviews, and learning opportunities organized by the South Bruce Nuclear Exploration Team, the municipal department focused on the NWMO Project.

It also includes Community Well-Being and Early Investments in Education and Skills funding, which are administered by Council and the Community Liaison Committee, respectively. These funding programs are directed towards community-based projects, training/education opportunities, and other activities that support skills development, capacity-building and community improvement.

The Agreement states that the funding does not constitute consent to hosting the Project.

“The Multi-Year Funding Agreement allows us to continue to explore the NWMO Project as a community, without adding any financial burden to our taxpayers,” said Mayor Robert Buckle. “As a result, we are able to conduct a number of independent studies and peer-reviews, which that will provide important information to our residents to help them make an informed decision about the Project.”

“We are continuously impressed by the spirit of community and exploration in South Bruce and are honoured to support the process through this Agreement,” said Tareq Al-Zabet, NWMO Director of Site Selection – South Bruce. “As we progress toward site selection, the NWMO remains committed to listening to the community, building relationships and advocating for the safe long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel.”

The Multi-Year Funding Agreement can be found in the February 8th Council Agenda on the Municipal website.

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